Happy New Year! 2019 is here

And hey , again a year is over! In Germany too , New Year’s Eve is celebrated a lot. Before, millions of people in other countries had already welcomed 2019.

Berlin (dpa) – Germany welcomes the year 2019. With fireworks throughout the country, people celebrated the turn of the year.

In Berlin , hundreds of thousands came to the party at the Brandenburg Gate , where from midnight the sky was lit up by fireworks for several minutes. The New Year’s Eve celebration in the capital is considered the largest in Germany . On stage were music stars like DJ Bobo and Nico Santos .

In North Rhine-Westphalia , too , people greeted the New Year with big parties. In Dusseldorf and Cologne, for example, it remained peaceful, according to police . In Munich , people celebrated also exuberantly. There, New Year’s Eve fireworks exploded on Marienplatz and above the Frauenkirche.

In the central city center of Hannover , there was a böller prohibition this year – and that arrived loudly good police . As she announced on New Year’s Eve , people who wanted to party in the city center threw more than 300 rockets and guns into water-filled barrels.

Berlin traditionally also attracted many New Year’s Eve guests from abroad. The party mile at the Brandenburg Gate was opened in the afternoon . At the entrances formed snakes, as the spokeswoman said the event. This was also due to the security checks. One and a half hours before midnight it was so full that the entrances were closed.

On the stage, numerous stars entertained the revelers. These included DJ Bobo and Nico Santos as well as Eagle Eye Cherry, Bonnie Tyler and Alice Merton . Unlike in previous years, there were hardly any unpleasant incidents until midnight and “only minor friction,” a police spokeswoman said. Attacks on helpers were initially not reported, as well as complaints about antiques.

The New Year had already begun in other countries many hours before: The inhabitants of some Pacific Islands were the first to greet the new year at 11:00 am CET, and a little later the people of New Zealand and Australia also celebrated. In Sydney, for example, the New Year was greeted with a colorful spectacle at 2 pm German time – according to the organizers, 8.5 tons of fireworks were blown up.

The London fireworks could also be seen. In the British capital , more than a hundred thousand people celebrated the toll of Big Ben – with eight tons of pyrotechnics, the fireworks was the organizers, the largest in Europe. For the grand finale, the Beatles hit “All you need is love” was played. Mayor Sadiq Khan dedicated the spectacle to all EU citizens living in the British capital in the face of approaching Brexit .

The Greeks also welcomed the new year with fireworks – over the Acropolis, the landmark of Athens. In Rome were officially böller prohibited, but it crashed and popped in the center at all corners. Most people flocked to the giant party at the Circus Maximus, where 1,000 artists are expected to perform by New Year’s Eve.

Stiller and more thoughtful it was in the Vatican. Pope Francis visited after the traditional New Year’s Eve Vespers the Sand Crib on St. Peter’s Square. Previously, he reminded everyone of those who “lived and still live under enslaving and inhumane conditions.”

The mood in Russia remained muted. The capital Moscow did indeed start the new year with the traditional toll of the Spassky Tower on the Kremlin. And everything was prepared for a happy celebration on Red Square and the festively lit center. However, the mood remained subdued due to the gas explosion of New Year’s Eve in the city of Magnitogorsk, which is still expected to end in dozens of deaths.

With a world record attempt for the longest fireworks in terms of distance , the United Arab Emirates started the new year. The small emirate Ras al-Khaima claims that it is trying to outdo the previous record of 11.83 kilometers. The fireworks lasted twelve minutes.

Many countries still have to wait for the turn of the year. Finally, the year 2019 will be greeted by people from Tutuila Island, part of the American Samoa group. There, residents celebrate at 12:00 CET on Tuesday. At 1.00 pm, the New Year begins on Baker Island and Howland Island. Both are uninhabited.